Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 297 | Tuesday, March 8, 2022 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.14 ISSUE 297 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022

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Former Davao City info officer files P10-M cyber libel case vs. Walden B. STORY ON PAGE 2

Former Davao City Information officer Jefry Tupas files a P10 million cyber libel case against vice presidential candidate Walden Bello at the City Prosecutor’s Office in Davao City on Monday. Edge Davao

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

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Commission on Elections 11 (Comelec 11) assistant director and spokesperson Gay Enumerables (right) discusses the agency’s preparations for the upcoming national and local elections during Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao on Monday. Also in photo is Philippine Statistics Authority 11 (PSA 11) regional director Ruben Abaro Jr. Edge Davao

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PRRD signs bill raising age of sexual consent to 16

Former Davao City info officer files P10-M cyber libel case vs. Walden B. By MAYA M. PADILLO

Tupas, who was accompanied by his legal counsel Atty. Caesar Europa, submitted his affidavit before City Prosecutor’s Office in Davao City. It can be recalled that Bello brought up the issue of Tupas after Mayor Sara

Duterte-Carpio did not attend the recent Vice Presidential debate hosted by CNN Philippines. Tupas said everything that Bello said about him were false, unfair, malicious, and downright unacceptable that cause him

emotional distress as he irreparably damaged his name, his reputation and his future. “Today, I filed a cyber libel case against Mr. Walden Bello for the baseless, below-the-belt, hurtful, disparaging, damaging things he has said about me and against me during his recent online press conference,” Tupas said. He added that the on-

Ifta (BDI) and Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC) are leading the launch on March 8 of the “fatwa” aimed at ensuring women in BARMM are protected against violence and human trafficking. On Monday, BDI Executive Director Mufti Abu

Hurairah Udasan, assisted by BWC Chairperson Bainon Karon, announced in a statement that they officially signed the religious rulings that focused on violence against women, wife desertion and abandonment, husband forcing sexual relations with his

ormer Davao City Information officer Jefry Tupas has filed a P10 million cyber libel case against Vice Presidential bet Walden Bello on Monday.

line press conference of Bello has been viewed by over 6,000 people and shared around a hundred times. “The last time I checked, the social media card that he posted, screaming with graphics calling me a drug dealer, has been shared more than 270 times, and many of the 213 comments directed against me were unpleasant,” he said.

wife, rape, and human trafficking. It was a project supported by the United Nations Population Fund and the University Research Company (URC-Philippines). Mufti Udasan said the Islamic rulings were orga-

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BARMM to launch rulings on gender-based violence n celebration of Women’s Month, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), through its two major instrumentalities, is set to launch five “fatwa” or religious rulings on gender-based violence (GBV). The Bangsamoro Darul

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resident Rodrigo Roa Duterte has signed into law a bill raising the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16. Republic Act (RA) No. 116481, signed by Duterte on March 4, amends RA 3815 or the Revised Penal Code and RA 7610 or the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. The law increased the age for determining statutory rape to 16 years old to provide more protection for young people against sexual exploitation and abuse. Under the new law, rape is committed by a person who shall have carnal knowledge of another person “when the offended party is under 16 years of age or is demented, even though none of the circumstances mentioned above be present.” “Provided, that there shall be no criminal liability on the part of a person having carnal knowledge of another person under 16 years of age when the age difference between the parties is not more than three years, and the sexual act in question is proven to be consensual, non-abusive, and non-exploitative: Provided, further, that if the victim is under 13 years of age, this exception shall not apply,” it added. As used in this act, non-abusive shall mean the absence of undue influence,

intimidation, fraudulent machinations, coercion, threat, physical, sexual, psychological, or mental injury or maltreatment, either with intention or through neglect, during the sexual activities with child victim, the law said. On the other hand, non-exploitative shall mean there is no actual or attempted act or acts of unfairly taking advantage of the child’s position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust during sexual activities. Qualified seduction RA 11648 also amended Articles 337 or “qualified seduction” of the Revised Penal Code which now reads: “The seduction of a minor, 16 and over but under 18 years of age, committed by any person in public authority, priest, home-servant, domestic, guardian, teacher, or any person who, in any capacity, shall be entrusted with the education of custody of the minor seduced, shall be punished by prision correctional in its minimum and medium periods.” “The penalty next higher in degree shall be imposed upon by any person who shall seduce his sister or descendant, whether or not she is a virgin or over 18 years of age,” the amended provision added. The new law said seduction is committed “when the offender has car-

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NEWS

Senatorial candidate Chiz Escudero interacts with members of local media during a news presser held at Blue Lotus Hotel in Davao City on Sunday. Escudero Escudero has expressed his gratitude to Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio for endorsing him. Edge Davao

Chiz supports Sara’s ‘no show’ in debates EO on election-related activities in city issued

he city government of Davao has released Executive Order (EO) on election activities in Davao City. Signed by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, EO No.10, Series of 2022 or “an order providing guidelines in securing the requisite permit in the conduct of election campaign activities in Davao City until May 8, 2022 in connection with the national and local elections” partially adopted Resolution No.10732 of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). However, Mayor Sara prohibits political caravans and motorcades in Davao City as stated in Section 2 of the EO. According to the mayor, there is a need to prohibit motorcades and caravans due to the continuing increase of fuel costs, inconvenience of the traffic jams it will create and the ongoing public want due to the economic losses from the pandemic coupled with

the rising prices of basic commodities. Section 4 of the EO stated that the political activity under Resolution 10732 except motorcades and caravans thereof shall be deemed approved immediately after payment of fees. Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec ) through its Resolution No. 10732, Series of 2021, dated November 24, 2021, outlined the guidelines on the conduct of in-person campaign, rallies, caucuses, meetings and conventions, motorcades and caravans, and Miting de Avance under the new normal, in connection with the May 9, 2022 national and local elections. The resolution says that in-person campaigning is allowed in areas under Alert 1, 2, and 3 but candidates or their campaign leaders must be accompanied only by a maximum of five staff members under Alert

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

enatoriable Chiz Escudero is supporting Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s decision not to attend debates saying it is the right of the campaign team or the candidate not to attend debates. He added that organizers cannot force the candidates to attend debates. “Desisiyon ng campaign team yan. Ginawa ko rin yan sa mga nagdaang elections. Hindi para kanino man pilitin ang kandidato gawin ang isang bagay sa panahon ng kampanyahan. Decision ng campaign team at decision ng kandidato yan na dapat galangin at tanggapin nila. Mas alam ng campaign team at kandidato ang kailangn niyang gawin sa election higit sa sino man,” Escudero told Davao media. It can be recalled that

Mayor Sara shunned debates for personal reasons and opted to meet the people through campaign sorties. Her action irked vice presidentiable Walden Bello and called her coward for not showing up in the debate hosted by CNN Philippines to which Liloan Mayor Christine Frasco, political spokesperson of Mayor Sara, responded by saying candidates are at liberty to decide whether or not to accept invitations to

debates. She added that it is also within a candidate’s discretion to limit his exposure to tweets and soundbites only. Escudero added that the organizers only wanted their debates to be successful so they put pressure on the candidates who are running for high positions. “Yung mga nag-i-imbita ng debate gusto lamang nilang maging matagumpay ang kanilang ginawa na debate. Ang basehan nila na matagumpay ang debate ay kung umattend ang pinakamataas o topnotcher sa mga surveys na lumalabas ngayon,” he said. Meanwhile, Escudero expressed gratitude to Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio for

endorsing him and vowed to make it up for the mayor for always mentioning his name wherever she goes. Escudero is among the personal choice of Mayor Sara for her senatorial candidates. The mayor always mentions his name in her campaign sorties. “Malaki ang pasasalamat ko kay Mayor Sara sa kanyang pagdala at pagbanggit sa aking pangalan kung saan man siya magtungo. Nagkaroon kami ng pagkakataon na magkatrabaho sa mga nagdaaang taon nung ako ay nasa senado, kay mayor ganon din kay President Duterte. Tinatanaw ko na utang na loob ito at makakabawi din ako sa kanya,” Escudero said.

pilot and one student pilot onboard when it crashed along Sitio Otso, Purok Bitan-agan around seven Monday morning. A team from the Mati City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office readily responded to the area around 7:45am after receiving the informa-

tion from the Davao Oriental Police Provincial Office. The rescuers however failed to find the flight instructor and the student pilot in the area upon their arrival. A check with the hospitals in the city showed that the two pilots did not seek any medical attention. The crash area is said to

be managed by Secdea Aviation. It was learned that the plane was taking off when it hit a mango tree and crashed. Kyle Reyes of the Secdea Aviation told the Mati CDRRMO that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines will be conducting an investigation on the incident. (CIO MATI)

Cessna 150 plane crashes in Mati

Cessna plane owned by Mactan Aviation crashed in Barangay Dahican Monday morning, March 7, 2022. The Cessna 150 plane with body number RPC9005 is said to be on its training flight from Davao to Mati and vice versa with one unidentified instructor

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VOL.14 ISSUE 297 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022

No, the world has not gone upside down. Photojournalist Jimmy Domingo just changed the orientation of the original photograph he took on Saturday, March 5, 2022 at the airport in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte “as a metaphor for pandemic.” It was Domingo’s first airplane ride after two years of COVID-19 restrictions. He and his family flew to Dipolog for the first death anniversary of his mother in law. Photo by Jimmy Domingo via MindaNews

DOE official says no oil supply woes, problem lies with prices A

n official from the Department of Energy (DOE) on Monday said there is no problem with the supply of fuel products coming into the country, adding that the problem lies in its prices.

During a congressional inquiry, House committee on transportation chairperson Representative Edgar Mary Sarmiento asked the DOE how long the Philippines will have supply of oil. “Wala ho tayong prob-

lema sa supply, Mr. Chair. ‘Yung problema natin ngayon is... covered po tayo, ‘yung inventory natin 30 days, more than 40 days po ang nasa inventory pa natin,” DOE Undersecretary Gerardo Erguiza told lawmakers.

(We have no problem with the supply. We are covered, our inventory is for 30 days, we still have 40 days in our inventory.) “Ang problema ho natin ngayon presyo pero quantity wala ho tayong problema. May pumapasok ho,” Erguiza added. (Our problem is the price of fuel products but in the quantity, we have no problem.) This week, domestic

pump prices of petroleum products are expected to increase “big-time” as global crude oil prices continue to soar amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Reports said the global benchmark Brent crude price soared to over $119 per barrel as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent jitters across oil markets. In his presentation, Erguiza said the long

term solution being proposed to address woes on prices include unbundling of prices, inclusion of the minimum inventory requirements in the oil deregulation law, giving the government intervention powers when there is a spike on prices, and temporary suspension of excise tax on petroleum products.

URC net income hits P24.3 billion in 2021

Alert Level 1 ‘necessary’ to fight U off global economic slowdown

residential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion has recommended maintaining Alert Level 1 status in the country, especially in Metro Manila and key cities, to counter the impacts of global economic slowdown brought by the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Concepcion said in a statement Monday that the increased mobility and keeping all economic activities open will support the expansion of gross domestic product

(GDP) and will keep businesses afloat. “We can’t stop the war in Europe, but we can help the country brace for a crisis,” he said. “We are a consumer-led economy. We depend on mobility.” Concepcion, who is also the Go Negosyo founder, said the Ukraine-Russia crisis has disrupted the flow of raw materials in the global market and pushed higher prices of petroleum and wheat. He added that micro, small and medium enter-

prises (MSMEs), who are just recovering from the impact of the pandemic, will be hit the hardest by the skyrocketing commodity prices brought by the Ukraine-Russia crisis. “It’s now become more urgent for the Philippines to maintain its Alert Level 1 status until the end of the year,” Concepcion said. “Schools and offices have a massive multiplier effect in spurring economic activity, especially with MSMEs like cafeterias, retail shops,

and transport.” In order to stay in Alert Level 1, Concepcion emphasized the need to continue the administration of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine and booster shots. “(W)e have to continue to vaccinate, booster, and keep our Covid indicators under control. If our Covid numbers go up again, our mobility will be restricted and we would reverse the gains we’ve achieved so far,” he said. (PNA)

President Rodrigo Duterte had called on Congress to review the oil deregulation law amid the weekly increases in oil prices as well as due to the situation in Ukraine. Under the law, government control is removed to help oil companies become more competitive with their supply and pricing of petroleum products.

niversal Robina Corp on Monday said it posted a net income of P24.3 billion in 2021 mainly driven by the gain from the sale of its Oceania business. The total of 109 percent higher compared to the previous year, URC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange. Gokongwei’s URC exited its snack business in the Oceania region in 2021. It said it reinvested into “high-growth core markets” and recently acquired Munchy’s business in Malaysia. Sales grew 3 percent for the full year to P117 billion despite the imposition of stricter mobility restrictions several times in the year as well supply chain disrup-

tions, it said. “While the challenges and uncertainties of hyper cost inflation, global climate and political turbulence persist, our growth momentum and organizational commitment to excellence give us cause for optimism in 2022,” URC president and CEO Irwin Lee said. “We will continue to invest in our brands, build channel strength, make future bets in attractive white spaces and operate efficiently and sustainably, all towards future-proofing our growth,” he added. URC in November said it would acquire Crunchy Foods Sdn Bhd, the company that owns Munchy Food Industries, for P22.9 billion.

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ECONOMY

Residents gather infront of a neighborhood barbeque store in Bangkal, Davao City on Sunday. The place is frequented by residents who either love grilled food or who don’t have time to cook. Edge Davao

40% of Pinoys says quality of life worse in Q4: survey SSS chief: Members flocking for claims accommodated

he Social Security System said Sunday that it has already addressed the influx of transacting members at certain SSS branches in Metro Manila. In a statement, the state-run social insurer said it has accommodated the crowd of members that poured into SSS offices in the National Capital Region to transact, especially at the Diliman Branch. “We have accommodated all the transacting members who flocked in several of our SSS branches. We are in 100% operation capacity since all our employees are reporting in the office,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora Ignacio said. On Friday, members flocked to various SSS branches to process their claims, after the government relaxed COVID-19 restrictions, and the influx of members “surprised” the agency. Crowds of members braved the heat, and hunger, while many others

camped out near SSS offices to get to the head of the line at the start of business hours. In the statement, Ignacio said they will continue to monitor the influx of members in SSS branches. “We will evaluate the situation to determine if there is a need to extend its servicing hours and extend its daily operations until Saturday.” Likewise, SSS renews its call for members, claimants, and the transacting public to use the agency’s online facilities such as My.SSS and SSS Mobile App for their various SSS transactions. “We urge them to fully maximize its online facilities, especially the My.SSS portal. There are more than 30 member services available on My.SSS. They can even access some of these services on the SSS Mobile App,” Ignacio said. Ignacio pointed out that there is an existing online branch appointment system that members can use the appointment system to

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t least 40 percent of Filipinos in the fourth quarter of 2021 said their quality of life was worse than 12 months before, according to a survey by the Social Weather Stations released Monday. Some 24 percent of the respondents said their quality of life improved (gainers) while 30 percent said it was unchanged, based on the survey conducted in the fourth quarter from Dec. 12 to 16 using face-

to-face interviews with 1,440 adults. SWS said the resulting net gainers score is -16 percent classified by SWS as mediocre. “The December 2021 Net Gainer score is 28 points up from the ex-

tremely low -44 in September 2021, but still 34 points below the pre-pandemic level of the very high +18 in December 2019,” it said. Respondents were divided into 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. SWS said net gainers eased in all areas, very low in the Visayas and mediocre elsewhere. Restrictions eased in the latter part of 2021,

in time for the holiday season, which has also helped improve consumer confidence in the fourth quarter. Economic activities in the fourth quarter also buoyed the full-year gross domestic product growth to 5.6 percent, overshooting government estimates. Mobility restrictions were reimposed again in early 2022 as COVID-19 cases rise due to the emergence of the omicron variant.

stock exchange. The strong performance was due to growth in rental income from new leases as well as a contribution from newly acquired properties, MREIT said. “We are pleased with the accomplishments of MREIT to date and are thankful for all the support that we have received from our shareholders, as evi-

denced by the strong performance of MREIT shares in the bourse. We aim to build on this momentum as we embark on our expanded acquisition plan this year,” MREIT Inc president and CEO Kevin Tan said. Dividends declared amounted to P0.24 per share for the fourth quarter, it said. MREIT started operations in 2021. It acquired

4 assets in December, which brought its total gross leasable area (GLA) to 280,000 square meters and its portfolio value to P58.5 billion, it said. For 2022, the company said it was eyeing the acquisition of up to P20 billion worth of office assets. It aims to expand its GLA to 1 million sqm before the end of the decade.

MREIT posts P2B CD net income in first 6 months of operations

egaworld’s real estate investment trust MREIT Inc on Monday said it posted a net income of P2 billion for the first 6 months of operations. Revenues until end of December 2021 reached P1.5 billion while fourth quarter revenues grew 4 percent quarter-on-quarter to P749.5 million, MREIT said in a disclosure to the

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VOL.14 ISSUE 297 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022

On Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s decision not to attend debates:

Desisyon ng campaign team yan. Ginawa ko rin yan sa mga nagdaang elections. Hindi para kanino man pilitin ang kandidato gawin ang isang bagay sa panahon ng kampanyahan. Decision ng campaign team at decision ng kandidato yan na dapat galangin at tanggapin nila. Mas alam ng campaign team at kandidato ang kailangn niyang gawin sa election higit sa sino man.”

Former Senator Chiz Escudero

EDITORIAL To the homestretch Barring any further worsening of the Covid-19 contagion, Philippines is headed to the homestretch of the pandemic. Or shall we say cruising to the new normal of a pandemic life.

Tough ride it was which cane to a point where we once are the lowest performing country in Covid response. Things have changed radically and in the Asean region, we are ahead in easing regulations due to lowering of cases. Let’s revisit the journey.

At some point, Bloomberg reported that “the Philippines faced a perfect storm in that it’s grappling with the then more ferocious delta variant (before Omicron) at the same time as it works with an inadequate testing regime and sees disruptions to its economy and people’s livelihoods as the pandemic continues to rage.” The Philippines fell to last place in Bloomberg’s Covid Resilience Ranking of the best and worst places to be amid the pandemic, capping a steady decline over the course of 2021.

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The Covid landscape has changed and the Philippines is pushing back to near pre-pandemic life.

A major factor is how the government dealt with the pandemic despite the highly political criticisms. The resolve to push the testings and vaccinations was critical in the fight against Covid. Likewise, the country’s healthcare workers kept us in the fight from start to current times. Many fell by the wayside and we owe a lot to these gallant men and women. The latest Asean figures show the Philippines posting a current GDP Growth Rate projection of 6.2 from pre-pandemic 6.5. Only Vietnam, which has a 6.5 current growth rate projection equalling its pre-pandemic projection of 6.5, is performing better. We cannot complain to be honest. We are doing fine. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN MEGHANN STA. INES FERINA SANTOS Lifestyle

ANA MARIE G. SILPAO Layout

LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. Consultant Correspondent Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO DAVAL SR.,TRIA • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY Columnists: ANTONIO V.“ADI” FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO •B.JOHN CARLO • MUJAHID NAVARRA ••FRED C. LUMBA • DENNIS R. GORECHO ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO •“GICO” G. S. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER GREGORIO G. DELIGERO VIDA MIA VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE M. PEREZ

OLIVIA D. VELASCO SOLANI D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONAJASPER OLIVIA D. VELASCO V. BACSAL General Manager PresidentAdvertising Specialist Finance General Manager / VP Operations JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

The Bloomberg monthly snapshot -- which measures where the virus is being handled the most effectively with the least social and economic upheaval -- ranks 53 major economies on 12 datapoints related to virus containment, the economy and opening up.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 297 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022

VANTAGE POINTS

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

OBESITY STARTS FROM CHILDHOOD There is a misconception that obesity is common only in industrialized countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. But obesity is fast spreading across the globe – even in the Philippines. A couple of years back, a nutrition expert said the Philippines has the third “fattest population” in Asia – after Malaysia and Singapore. Currently, about 500,000 Filipinos are suffering from obesity. In the past, obesity affected only adults. But in recent years, children are not spared from this health burden. In fact, there is such a thing as childhood obesity. Results from the Expanded National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) in 2019 reported a relatively low prevalence of overweight at 2.9% among children under 5 years old; medium prevalence of 9.1% and 9.8% among children aged 5 to 10 years old and 10 to 19 years old, respectively. What is alarming is that overweight has tripled in the

last 15 years among adolescents. “There is a higher rate of overweight and obese children in urban areas than in rural areas and higher prevalence of several risk factors and environmental conditions could rapidly increase the rates,” the FNRI said. “We should fight off the common mistakes of Filipinos that overweight children are ‘cute.’ It is not!” urged Dr. Ramon F. Abarquez, Jr. when he was still alive. “Healthy kids are not overweight or underweight. We should teach them proper eating habits and healthy lifestyle choices while they are young.” Be healthy and beat obesity now – before it’s too late. “Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke, which are the leading cause of death worldwide,” deplores the WHO. “Being overweight can also lead to diabetes and its associated conditions, including blindness, limb amputations, and the need for dialysis,” the United Nations health agency

warns. “Carrying excess weight can lead to musculoskeletal disorders including osteoarthritis.” Obesity is also associated with some cancers, including endometrial, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney and colon. “The risk of these noncommunicable diseases increases even when a person is only slightly overweight and grows more serious as BMI climbs,” the WHO points out. Obesity in childhood is associated with a wide range of serious health complications and an increased risk of premature onset of related illnesses. Studies have found that without intervention, children and adolescents with obesity will likely to continue to be obese into adulthood. Overweight is defined by a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25, while obesity relates to a BMI of 30 or above. The BMI is calculated by dividing body weight (in kilograms) by height (in meters) squared. For example, a person who is 1.7 meters tall and weighs 65 kilograms

would have a BMI of 22.5. The worldobesityday.org considered obesity a disease and as such, it must be treated as one. “There are many factors that can put people at higher risk of developing obesity, including biology, genes, mental health, access to healthcare and exposure to ultra-processed, unhealthy foods,” it said. “Obesity is not due to a lack of will power.” “Many of the causes of overweight and obesity are preventable and reversable, However, no country has yet to reverse the growth of this epidemic,” the World Health Organization (WHO) says, adding that worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. The Geneva-based United Nations agency says the key to preventing obesity is to act early. For instance, women who want to consider having a baby should get themselves healthy. “Good nutrition in pregnancy, followed by exclusive breastfeeding until the age of 6 months and continued breastfeeding until two years and be-

yond, is best for all infants and young children,” the WHO reiterates. The Department of Health (DOH) is also recommending this suggestion. “To prevent obesity, we need to start early, that is in the First 1000 Days of life when we could also prevent undernutrition, which could also result in obesity in later life,” explains Dr. Azucena Dayanghirang, executive director of National Nutrition Council. Dr. Dayanghirang urged every Filipino to be involved. “Curbing the childhood obesity epidemic requires political commitment at all levels, and the collaboration of many public and private stakeholders,” she pointed out. “A multisectoral approach is essential, and should provide supportive environments that encourage physical activity, restrict access to unhealthy foods and drinks, support mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months and to protect children from marketing influences,” she added.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

BUHANGIN AS ‘SALVAGE CAPITAL’ Outside, Agdao, dubbed as ‘Nicar-Agdao,’ Davao City’s Buhangin district was given the shameful label as ‘salvage capital,’ a term describing it as the place where extrajudicial killings were rampant and bodies of sum-mary executions were dumped. This was in 1984 in the dying days of Martial Law. The moniker was further given currency when, at the height of the insurgency, two top officials of the district abruptly resigned and left for the United States, namely deputy mayor Pablo Juinio and son George who was Buhangin barangay captain. Their departure was well-timed when atrocities committed in the area became abominable. Earlier, Davao City councilor Julieta Feliciano unex-pectedly migrated to the U.S., abandoning her council post without

the knowledge of her constituents. No rea-son was cited for the abrupt resignation but her council colleagues suspected the decision was due to the deterio-rating peace and order condition of the city, and the de-cline in business influx and investments. Buhangin’s tag as ‘salvage capital’ is an offshoot of the common sight of a dead body dumped along the Diver-sion Road. But there were other crimes that heightened fear among residents, such as the ransacking of the city treasurer’s office in Buhangin, the kidnap of two young men along Diversion Road, and the raid of houses along Orchids Street. On June 1, 1984, Renato Cawaling, Jr. and Virgilio Necesario were murdered by the military, which brought thousands of Buhangin residents to the

streets to de-nounce the killings. A few days earlier, Cris Ipanag, the driver and security officer of newly appointed (but yet to be sworn) minister of environment and natural resources Rodolfo del Ro-sario, was fatally shot at Orchids Street. An article (‘Fur-ther Report on officials seeking safety in the U.S.’) in the September 24, 1984, issue of People’s Daily Forum says: “The rash of [the] killing of military men, government agents, notorious criminals, and drug pushers in sitios San Nicolas, San Isidro, and Dumanlas [in Buhangin] were at-tributed to the activities of the Sparrow [SPARU} unit, the liquidation squad of the New People’s Army. Moreover, the suspicion of a growing insurgency in Buhangin can be read in the writings on the wall. Red letters exalt the NPA-CPP… as it calls for the

dismantling of the ‘US-Marcos dictatorship.’” During the January plebiscite and the Batasan elections, both held in 1984, the public, through rallies and explicitly displaced streamers, expressed disgust and anger at the growing unrest enveloping areas in the city known to have been infiltrated and controlled by insurgents. This uneasy situation forced the resignation of a number of po-licemen who preferred the safety of other jobs than being killed in the line of duty as law enforcers. In Mandug, which is part of Buhangin, the ‘peace and order condition’ was no better. A young man was abduct-ed while the military led a raid that arrested Joel Mag-lungsod, a labor leader, and his wife, both members of the Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Habagatang Mindanao.

(Maglungsod, after the fall of the Marcos regime, went on to become party-list congressman of Bayan. During the Duterte administration, he was appointed undersecretary of labor and later as executive director III of the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), the country’s only govern-ment maritime training and research center.) This deteriorating situation led Silvestre H. Bello III, former spokesman of the Coalition of Organization for the Realization of Democracy (CORD-Mindanao) to express fear that the chain of unsettling events “could be a prel-ude to a crackdown of the military protest movement.” (Bello, the former son-in-law of DILG secretary and Davao City mayor Luis T. Santos, later became justice secretary of the Ramos dispensation and labor secretary of the Duterte sway.)

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EDGEDAVAO

WOMEN

SPECIAL DELIVERY Food and beverage consultant, entrepreneur, commercial model, and former ‘Apprentice Asia’ contender, Celina Le Neindre, opens up about her home water birth experience.

A WELCOME SURPRISE “One morning, during my thirty-eighth week, I felt a mild backache and went to the Pilates studio to ease the pain with a bit of stretching. I proceeded to my OB-GYN appointment right after that and found out my cervix was already 4 cm dilated. It was such a surprise, as I thought I had two more weeks before giving birth. I went home, and the midwife arrived at our place around 5:00 pm.” “After we had dinner with friends, I felt a strong punch from the baby, and my water broke. My doula arrived, and she and the midwife helped me and monitored the baby’s heartbeat. The contractions eventually came faster, but I didn’t go into the pool until the pain was really unbearable. Our son, Orion, was born at 1:57 am.” Celina shares one of the most memorable moments during her birth to Orion. “I caught him as he came out.” At 3:00 am, Savanna woke up and went to the master’s bedroom. She saw the newborn and gushed, “Baby brother!”

Water birth is the process of giving birth in a tub or pool filled with warm water. This is usually done at home or in birthing centers with the assistance of a doula and a midwife. Those who decide to “take the plunge” invest in research and undergo numerous consultations with trusted professionals and experienced individuals. Just recently, I caught up with a former classmate, Celina Le Neindre—a food and beverage consultant, entrepreneur, commercial model, and former Apprentice Asia contender. She gladly shared her water birth story, in hopes of inspiring others who are planning to take the natural route in bringing their children into the world. PERSONAL CHOICE Water birth has always been Celina’s first choice. “When I was younger, I watched the movie The Blue Lagoon. The female character there gives birth in a lagoon. That gave me an idea of how I wanted my birthing experience to be in the future.” When Celina got together with Alec van Dierendonck, it took them a while to conceive from the time they decided to start a family. “When I got pregnant in 2018, Alec supported my plans for home water birth. We asked around and realized that home water birth is not common in the Philippines. While there are more options for water birth in Manila, I couldn’t imagine being stuck there in a condo after giving birth. So, we decided that I would give birth in Davao—our hometown—because the environment and conditions are more conducive for my recovery and adjustment to motherhood.” “WATER” THE ODDS “It took several months before we found a doula, Irina, and she really guided me. However, she is based in Manila and couldn’t travel to Davao at that time because she, too, was pregnant. It also took some time before we found an OB-GYN in Davao who would support our birth plan.” “Weeks and months passed, and we still couldn’t find a doula or midwife who could go to our house

time around, it was easier because I had prior experience and a better understanding of the birthing process.” She was also fortunate to have connected with a certified doula in Davao. “I met Maria Teresa Sustiguer, also known as Mommy Tere, a lactation consultant, when she helped me with my breastfeeding journey with Savanna. There was something about her touch that made me think she would make a perfect doula. I told her that and gave her an idea of what a doula is.” “A few months later, she told me she completed the doula training and certification and even assisted a water birth in Siargao. She also introduced me to a midwife, Allen Agulan Franco.”

to assist us. We wanted to have the birth in our house so we could control the environment and use the tub. Eventually, I decided to leave it to fate or whatever. If I’d need go to the hospital, then so be it. But at least we tried our best to find solutions for our birth plan.” PUSHING THROUGH Once Celina entered the third trimester, she started preparing the bathtub, accessories, birthing ball, relaxing scents, her playlist, and all the essentials. There was also a mood board to inspire and encourage her should doubts ever cross her mind during the labor. “Around a month before my due date, Irina informed me that the midwife who assisted her with a couple of water births was going home to Iligan in Mindanao. I gave the midwife a call, and she visited me to discuss my birth plan and how I wanted to do it.” LABOR DAY “The midwife traveled back

to Davao during my fortieth week. She monitored me closely, and as well as the baby’s heartbeat. On the third day, I felt a bit of pain in the morning, but I knew I could manage it. We prepared the room while waiting. Apparently, it takes a while to fill up the pool with water.” “I went into active labor at 1:00 pm and, by then, I could no longer manage the pain. My cervix was 6 cm dilated. In the next hour, the pain was a bit unbearable, and I insisted on going into the pool. They poured hot water, which helped ease the pain and contractions. Alec also massaged my back and hips.” Four hours passed, and Celina

started having moments of selfdoubt. “I was worried that I would need to be hospitalized. I kept those worries to myself and didn’t voice them out because I didn’t want to discourage the people around me.” “I realized my greatest enemy was myself. I conditioned myself mentally and concentrated on giving it my best. Thirty minutes later, I gave a good push, and Savanna came out. I saw her face under the water. And, contrary to what people think, it’s nothing like a bloody bath.” SECOND PREGNANCY In 2021, Celina found out they were expecting another child. “This

AFTER BIRTH Celina says her home water birth experiences are nothing short of amazing. “There were a few doubts and hindrances along the way, but when I finally did it, I felt I was born again. I was amazed at what my body can do and how powerful the mind is.” She adds that water birth and motherhood taught her patience. “I am more patient now with everybody. I used to think I would be a strict mother. Now, I understand the natural course of things—how it is all about time and waiting for the right moment. You cannot always force things to happen. Everything, even babies, has its time.” --All photos courtesy of Celina Le Neindre. Families interested in water birth may reach out to doula and lactation consultant Maria Teresa Sustiguer (@doulataranii) on Instagram and connect with midwife Allen Agulan Franco on Facebook. For childbirth photography, contact Wawee De Leon Liwanag at 0921 444 5727.

9 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

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AN ADULT SMOKING A CIGARETTE

ALTERNATIVE TOBACCO PRODUCTS MAY HELP SMOKERS KICK THE HABIT? Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

Additional photo from WHO

former official of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that smokers who cannot stop smoking should be allowed to use alternative tobacco products (ATPs) in order for them to kick the addictive habit. “Like many other interventions in daily life – seat belts in cars, motorcycle helmets, safe needle exchange in drug addiction, to name a few – (the ATPs can help) reduce health harms linked to smoking,” said Prof. Tikki Ella Pangestu, who used to be the director of WHO’s Department of Research Policy and Cooperation. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

The CDC says smoking increases the risk for coronary heart disease and stroke by 2 to 4 times. The risk of men developing lung cancer if they smoke is 25 times while it’s 25.7 times for women who smoke. ATPs can lessen the damage that tobacco brings to those who smoke “simply by reducing as much as 90% to 95%” the harmful toxins released when a smoker lights and burns a cigarette. The American Cancer Society (ACS) says tobacco smoke is made up of thousands of chemicals. The most common ones are hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, lead, arsenic, ammonia, benzene, carbon monoxide, and nicotine (the addictive drug that produces the effects in the

LUNG WITH CIGARETTES (WHO) A YOUNG MAN VAPING

brain that people are looking for). Statistics available showed about 110,000 Filipinos die from tobacco-related diseases each year. About 21.8% of male deaths and 9.7% of female deaths are caused by tobacco smoke. More than 23% of male deaths and 12% of female deaths are caused by tobacco. Prof. Pangestu cites e-cigarettes (vape) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) as examples of ATPs that may help smok-

ers quit smoking. “Vape and HTPs do not burn tobacco and, therefore, are much less harmful,” the Singaporean professor says. Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are battery-powered smoking devices. They have cartridges filled with a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and chemicals. The liquid is heated into a vapor, which the person inhales. That’s why using e-cigarettes is called “vaping.”

HTPs, sometimes called “heat-not-burn” products typically use an electronic heating element, which heats specially designed sticks, plugs or capsules containing tobacco. The tobacco doesn’t get hot enough to burn. In the United States, some vape products and HTPs have already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and authorized these products to be marketed. “Through the modi-

fied risk tobacco product application process, the FDA aims to ensure that information directed at consumers about reduced risk or reduced exposure from using a tobacco product is supported by scientific evidence and understandable,” said Mitch Zeller, J.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. Data submitted by the companies to the FDA “shows that marketing these particular prod-

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Tupas also said Bello’s attack against him online resulted in a deluge of people attacking him online. “As of now, the posts remain available and viewed and shared around by people - and we could only surmise that many of them are convinced that I am what Mr. Walden Bello has said I am. To them, Mr. Walden Bello’s version of the truth about me is the truth about me,” he said. Tupas described Bello as no ordinary citizen, a book writer, an activist, and a human rights activist. “He is a professor and a scholar whose international academic circle and civil-society network and experience are vast. He is

aspiring to become the next Vice President of the Philippines,” he said. He also cited Bello’s Facebook page that has 23,000 followers while his personal Facebook account has over 14,500 followers. He also said Bello has 4,997 Facebook friends. “Given that - the magnitude of the consequence, the injury left by the offensives unleashed by Mr. Walden Bello on me, towards me, is unimaginable. People like Mr. Walden Bello must be taught a lesson - that they cannot, as they should not be allowed to, run away with their actions and words that destroy the lives of private citizens like me,” Tupas said.

nized and thoroughly reviewed by several Ulama or Muslim scholars from across the BARMM. “Woman, in Islam, is highly respected and highly regarded,” Udasan said, adding that the rulings will greatly help women to address their concerns on incidents of violence. On the other hand, Karon, a member of the Bangsamoro Parliament, said one of the most effective interventions to treating gender-based violence is through values transformation. “(GBV) continues to happen precisely because perpetrators have surrendered their moral values and have allowed themselves to be influenced by evil,” Karon said. She described “khut-

bas” (Islamic sermons) and the “fatwa” as “important medicines in our prescription for treating the ill.” She said to prevent GBV from happening, the BARMM leadership and the public, in general, have to “strike at the moral fiber of every man by spreading the words of the Holy Qur’an and making them realize the consequences of their actions, both in their lifetime and in the hereafter.” Karon also thanked URC-Philippines for its support in the development of the “khutbas” and “fatwas.” URC-Philippine representative Cecilia Lantican said the project is a milestone in the BARMM as she vowed that the URC is dedicated to supporting the project in the coming years. (PNA)

nal knowledge of any of the persons and under circumstances described therein.” “The seduction of a minor, 16 and over but under 18 years of age, committed by means of deceit, shall be punished by arresto mayor,” the amended Article 388 read. Under the new law, children, whether male or female, who for money, profit, or any other consideration or due to coercion or influence of any adult, syndicate or group, indulge in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct, “are deemed to be children exploited in prostitution and other sexual abuse.” RA 116481 also mandates the Department of Education (DepEd) to include in the basic education curriculum and teach age-appropriate subjects tackling the rights and protection of the children in relation to the law. The new law is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2332 and House Bill No.

7836 passed on Dec. 15, 2021 and Dec. 14, 2021, respectively. The previous 12-yearold minimum age of sexual consent in the Philippines was the lowest in Asia and one of the lowest in the world. Last year, the United Nations (UN) Philippines called on Congress to urgently increase the age for statutory rape from below 12 years old to below 16. “The UN has long voiced concerns about the alarmingly low age of sexual consent in the Philippines,” UN resident and humanitarian coordinator Gustavo González said in a statement last July 2021. Citing the 2015 National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children, González said one in every five children in the Philippines in the age group of 13 to 17 said they experienced sexual violence while one in 25 suffered from forced consummated sex during childhood. (PNA)

Level 2 and three staff members under Alert Level 3. No limit on the number of accompanying staff members for candidates is implemented under Alert Level 1.

In-person campaigning is not allowed in areas under Alert Levels 4 and 5. The resolution also prohibits handshakes, hugs, kisses, going armin-arm, or any action that involves physical contact

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ucts with the authorized information could help addicted adult smokers transition away from combusted cigarettes and reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals, but only if they completely switch,” Zeller added. The ACS states in its website that “no smokeless tobacco product has been proven to help people who smoke quit.” Prof. Pangestu says otherwise. “There is lots of data,” he points out. “For example, in the United Kingdom, it is estimated that between 20,000 to 30,000 smokers quit each year when they switch to e-cigarettes. In countries where these products are available, cigarette sales are falling.” Prof. Pangestu and Dr. Rafael R. Castillo call this concept of helping smokers to quit smoking by allowing them to use ATPs as Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR). “THR is a strategy to mitigate the health risk in smokers who use conventional cigarettes,” explains Dr. Castillo, a cardiologist and a professor in cardiovascular medicine. “Com-

plete smoking cessation is still the primary goal but since this cannot be achieved in the far bigger majority of smokers, particularly those who are recalcitrant, then a pragmatic middle-ground alternative should be offered to them.” Recalcitrant smokers are those who have an obstinately uncooperative attitude towards smoking cessation. “They may show initial efforts of following the smoking-cessation programs we implement (for them), but there is an utter lack of perseverance and will to persist until the end goal of complete smoking cessation is achieved,” Dr. Castillo says. The Filipino doctor has met some of these recalcitrant smokers in his clinic. “(We) have tried all known measures of convincing them, that is, by persuasion, motivation, even combining them with threats on the health hazards they are likely to develop if they do not stop smoking.” At best, “we are only successful in around three

indicate the preferred date and time that they want to be accommodated in their chosen SSS branch. Further, she clarified the misconception that processing of claim and loan applications is faster at the SSS Diliman Branch than in other branches, adding processing time depends on the completeness of the documents being submit-

ted. The “File Anywhere” policy is still in effect so they can transact at the nearest branch of their choice. Currently, there are 58 branches in NCR, about 135 branches in Luzon, 44 branches in Visayas, and 44 branches in Mindanao, according to the SSS statement.

with other recognition such as the President’s Award (Yuka Saso and Carlos Yulo) and Major Awards (Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Eumir Felix Marcial, and EJ Obiena). Also part of the Major Awards list is US Open men’s billiards champion Carlo Biado. All awardees, athletes, officials, guests, and PSA members are required to bring along and present their vaccination card to be

allowed entry in the event venue. A compact list of 39 athletes, officials, and entities make up the 2021 batch of awardees to be feted by the Philippine sportswriting fraternity during the gala night backed by MILO (official choco milk), 1Pacman, Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Philracom, Rain or Shine, ICTSI, Chooks To Go, MVP Sports Foundation, and Smart. (PR)

EJ Obiena has been accused of falsifying liquidation reports. Juico has been declared persona non-grata by the Philippine Olympic Committee general assembly for “harassment” to the Filipino Olympian. Even with the controversy, Obiena continued to compete in various meets

in Europe where he has set new personal. The start of the mediation comes a day after Obiena reset his new national record after clearing 5.91 meters in his second-place finish in a competition with France. As the government sports agency, the PSC has offered to mediate since last December.

among the candidate, their companions, and the public under all alert levels. It has also prohibited taking selfies, photographs, and other similar activities that require

close proximity between the candidate and their companions, and the public. The distribution of food and drink and anything of value is also prohibited. By Maya M. Padillo

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out of 10 cases,” Dr. Castillo admits. When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hit the country, Dr. Castillo and his fellow doctors changed their strategy. “Majority of our recalcitrant smokers have smoking histories of more than 20 pack years, and already have mild to moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is a major risk factor for developing severe COVID-19,” Dr. Castillo reports. They tried to find a middle-ground for recalcitrant smokers and they settled for HTPs. “Based on (available studies), the amount of toxic substances a smoker gets is up to 95% less, compared to traditional tobacco smoking,” he reports. To get first-hand information, Dr. Castillo and his research group at the CardioMetabolic Research Unit (CaMeRU) of the FAME Leaders Academy conducted two systematic reviews and meta-analyses. “(Our study showed) there is an improvement in some cardiovascular risk factor parameters such as less increase in heart rate, higher high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol) and less constriction of arteries,” Dr. Castillo says. “Another study also showed significantly reduced harmful elements commonly obtained by conventional cigarette smoking.” Unfortunately, there is no data yet that will prove HTPs could help smokers quit smoking – as studies require a longer time period for these to be conducted. But based on modeling techniques and considering the beneficial effects of THR with alternative tobacco products, Dr. Castillo believes “millions will be quitting cigarette smoking and scores of thousands of lives will be saved annually with reduction of smoking-related complications.” Recently, the Philippine Senate passed a bill that would legalize and regulate vaping and HTPs. It likewise eliminated the authority of the Food and Drug Administration over these products. The Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act (SB 2239) was approved by a vote of 19-2, with two senators abstaining. All these recent developments are taken into consideration by Prof. Pangestu and Dr. Castillo. “These regulations are badly needed to facilitate wider use and access to these products to those smokers who want to quit,” Prof. Pangestu said. “Regulation through legislation is crucial to make sure the use of HTPs and e-cigarettes redound to the benefit of public health,” Dr. Castillo says, adding that violations should be clearly defined and there should be corresponding penalties. Under- and over-regulation will not be good, he adds. The alternative tobac-

co products (ATPs) should not be made available to non-smokers, pregnant women, and most especially to young people. “The main targets are smokers who want to quit but, unfortunately, it has also become a fashionable trend among youth,” Prof. Pangestu cautioned. In the Philippines, recent studies showed four in 10 students reported ever smoking cigarettes. Approximately one in 8 students who had smoked cigarettes reported smoking their first cigarette before age 10. “These ATPs should be off-limits to the youth and those who are currently not smoking,” Dr. Castillo points out. “ATPs should also be subjected to appropriate sin taxes so it’s beyond the financial reach of the youth. ATPs should not be allowed to be promoted or advertised.” Dr. Castillo also urges health officials to prevent the youth from joining the ranks of smokers. “The evil of smoking must be included in the curriculum of elementary and high school,” he suggests. “Teaching by example is also very important. Children tend to follow what they see their parents do. Smoking parents should refrain from letting their highly impressionable small children see them smoke.” Dr. Castillo believes the battle against smoking is a long fight. “It may be a Pollyannic or blindly optimistic goal to completely eradicate cigarette smoking with ATPs, but even just a 10% reduction in smokers annually can go a long way in saving lives,” he says. Prof. Pangestu said that ATPs should be promoted along with other options. “We need to see vape and HTPs as a complement to other available options such as education, quit lines, counseling and education and nicotine replacement therapies (such as nicotine patches, gum, and nasal sprays among others).” Quitting smoking may be a herculean task but it can be beaten. And doing so can have several health benefits. “It’s never too late to give up smoking,” Dr. Castillo reiterates. “Some benefits like breathing more freely, less shortness of breath and less fast heart rates and increased blood pressure on exertion can be obtained in a matter of days or few weeks after cessation.” Other changes in the heart, lungs and arteries, he says, may take a longer time to improve but at least the deterioration is already slowed down. “There may be permanent damage in some long standing smokers that may no longer be reversible but the risk of developing complications subsequently like stroke and heart attack is significantly reduced after giving up cigarette smoking,” Dr. Castillo assures.

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World-class pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena (Obiena’s FB page photo)

Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, silver medalist Nesthy Petecio, silver medalist Carlo Paalam, and bronze winner Eumir Felix Marcial.

2020 PH Olympians to be cited in PSA Awards night

ilipino athletes who represented the country in the 2020 Olympic Games will be cited during the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Annual Awards Night next week at the Diamond Hotel. Citations are going to be given to 19 athletes who carried the country’s tricolors in both the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics by the country’s oldest media organization when it holds its traditional awards ceremony presented by the Phil-

ippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), and Cignal TV. The special event is set on March 14 at the Diamond Hotel. The list of Olympians include skateboarder Mar-

gielyn Didal, boxer Irish Magno, golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Juvic Pagunsan, weightlifter Elreen Ando, trackster Kristina Knott, swimmers Remedy Rule and Luke Gebbie, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, rower Cris Nievarez, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, and shooter Jayson Valdez. The Paralympians meanwhile, include swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Gary Bejino, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan, taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin, trackster Jeanette

Aceveda, and powerlifter Achelle Guion. A future Olympian in weightlifter Vanessa Sarno was added to the list for winning two gold medals and a silver in the women’s 71 kg division of the Asian Women’s Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The rest of the Olympians not part of the citation led by first ever gold medal winner Hidilyn Diaz, who will be feted with the PSA Athlete of the Year award, are going to be conferred

F2020 PH, P10

Obiena, Juico mediation finally pushes through

he Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association and pole vaulter EJ Obiena finally met in a Philippine Sports Commission-organized mediation on Monday. The mediation is ongoing. Obiena has been at odds with Patafa after the feder-

ation conducted an investigation over alleged failure of the Olympian to pay the salaries of his coach Vitaly Petrov. The controversy has dragged on for four months, resulting in investigations by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

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FRED C. LUMBA SPORTS KEN

SPECTATORS MAKE PBA GAMES MORE EXCITING Hey, did you notice that the PBA games in the Governor’s Cup conference have become more exciting and thrilling as big, sizable crowds of basketball fanatics were already allowed to watch in droves in accordance with the Alert Level 1 policy? Notice too how players are energized by the shouting, cheering and even the boisterous booing of the audience. They give their all, unmindful if they suffer some physical pain in chasing loose balls, defending against bigger opponents and showing off what they can dish

out, aerial acrobatics and whatever. The truth is that the participation of foreign cagers whose quality of play is NBA-like has given the league the much needed shot in the arm. The two-year “plan-demic” has woefully created a negative atmosphere because the ball clubs had to compensate their players whether they are on vacation (force majeure) or in competition. Fans deserve to get their money’s worth. Particular matches I cheered watching on the boob tube were

the two consecutive wins of Northport over the league leading Magnolia and Meralco. Playing catch-up for 48 minutes, coach Pido Jarencio ably steered his underhanded squad (sans start Robert Bolick and Greg Slaughter) to a come from behind victory. With KJ McDaniel imposing his all-around influence (shooting, rebounding and passing), NLEX, mentored by the enigmatic Yeng Guiao, carved out an 8-3 record, next to Magnolia with 9-2. Both will enjoy a twice to beat advantage and are expect-

ed to figure in the semis along with two other survivors of the quarterfinals. San Miguel has slowly recovered its winning form with Shabazz Muhammad replacing Orlando Johnson. Remarkable performance in just two games. He could lift the Beermen to the championship, barring injuries. However, sister ballclub Ginebra is groping. The Gins cowered in a sorry loss to the Road Warriors, folding up in the fourth quarter. In their next outing however, the heroics of Scottie Thompson and

the timely sniping of a resurrected Jeff Chan saved the day for coach Tim Cone’s platoon who nearly tumbled against a hard fighting Rain or Shine (115-110) as the preliminaries closed out last week-end. The monotony and boredom brought about by the two-year lockdowns have been broken. Live sports games and the fanaticism of fans can greatly help in resuscitating the broken spirits of our countrymen. Cheers! (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

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BIGGEST CROWD A crowd of 6,052 fans witnessed the Barangay Ginebra -Rain Or Shine match. (PBA)

Ginebra grinds out to beat Rain or Shine before 6,052 fans

he crowds are back. In what was the biggest crowd in the pandemic era for the PBA, 6,502 roaring fans rocked the Smart Araneta Coliseum to witness a game between crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra and Rain or Shine.

The beleaguered Kings woke up just in time to score a 104-93 victory over Rain or Shine in its last assignment of the PBA Governors’ Cup eliminations in front of the largest crowd in the pandemic era so far. The win gave the Gin Kings a 6-5 win-loss record, which kept them in the thick of the fight for the quarterfinals. The defending champions sat at sixth and seventh in a logjam with Alaska, one-win up against three teams with five victories - Tnt (5-4), Phoenix (5-5) and NorthPort (5-5) - going to next week’s elims windup. “This was the first time we’re able to grind out a win the whole conference, relying more on our defense than our offense,” said Coach Tim Cone. “I’m real proud of my guys for grinding it out. This is the way you gotta play going to the playoffs and this is what we’re preparing for, try to get to the playoffs and make some noise,” he added. The Elasto Painters threatened to throw a wrench on Ginebra’s plans and wrested control in the third period. Jewel Ponferada’s triple even gave ROS an 89-83 upperhand early in the fourth. But to chants of “Gi-ne-bra! Gine-bra!” Jeff Chan, Justin Brown-

lee and Scottie Thompson spearheaded a 21-4 windup to swing momentum back to the crowd darlings and get them back on track after a 103-115 loss to second-running NLEX last Friday. Chan made the big difference in this game, rifling in 15 points spiked by four treys to complement usual suspects Brownlee (25-10-7), Christian Standhardinger (20-6) and Thompson (15-12). “Jeff played well both sides of the floor for us. If he could do that, he opens up the floor for everybody,” said Cone. Henry Walker finished with 34 before getting ejected for accumulated technical fouls in ROS’ final outing. The Elasto Painters bowed out with 3-8, unable to win their last five games of the import-spiced tourney. (PBA) The Scores: Ginebra 104 -Brownlee 25, Standhardinger 20, Thompson 15, Chan 15, J.Aguilar 10, Tenorio 9, Pinto 6, Onwubere 4, Tolentino 0. Rain or Shine 93 - Walker 34, Caracut 12, Belga 12, Mocon 8, Borboran 7, Ponferada 7, Nieto 5, Nambatac 4, Norwood 2, Guinto 2, Torres 0, Asistio 0, Jackson 0. Quarters: 20-23, 50-41, 73-77, 104-93.